Brad Guzan 6.5/10 – Could have done better on the goal but came through in final seconds with a fingertip save to keep out Enner Valencia’s free-kick and preserve a point for the hosts.

Alan Hutton 6/10 – Failed to close down Aaron Creswell for the 45th-minute opener but was otherwise given few problems at the back. Offered a lot going forward as well but his crossing once again let him down at crucial moments.

Jores Okore 7/10 – Deserves to be one of Villa’s first-choice centre-backs going forward after another impressive performance saw him record a team-leading seven clearances and two interceptions to restrict the Hammers to one goal.

Joleon Lescott 7/10 – The stand-in skipper continued his recent resurgence with another strong showing alongside Okore to earn his side a point. After his earlier struggles at Villa, having the armband seems to have got the best out of him.

Leandro Bacuna 6/10 – Looked very shaky in defence but got plenty of joy down the left, despite suffering from the same problem as Hutton when it came to his final ball.

Carlos Sanchez 6/10 – Was looking much more composed than in recent games until having to go off injured seven minutes before the break. That proved a blow for Villa, as his withdrawal left them far too unbalanced in midfield.

Ashley Westwood 6.5/10 – A decent performance on both sides of the ball, but aside from a couple of long range efforts, he couldn’t provide enough in the final third.

Idrissa Gana 6/10 – Offered a lot of energy in the centre of the park but lacked quality on the attacking end.

Jordan Veretout 7.5/10 – Showed plenty of flashes of creativity while also working extremely hard on the defensive side of the ball. His recent improvement under Garde bodes well for the second half of the season.

Jordan Ayew 8/10 – Villa’s standout player yet again, as he constantly harassed the Hammers defence with his pace and tireless running. Equalised from the spot just after the hour after Gestede went down under Angelo Ogbonna’s rash challenge.

Rudy Gestede 7/10 – Spurned a number of scoring chances but also caused real problems for the opposition with his height, strength and impressive work rate. If he could just improve his finishing, Villa's survival odds would be much improved.

Carles Gil (Sanchez 38) 6/10 – Produced some brief glimpses of skill but not enough to show he deserves his starting spot back.

Adama Traore (Veretout 83) 6/10 – Didn’t get enough time on the pitch to make a real impact. Villa fans certainly have the right to question why he wasn’t brought on earlier when they clearly needed a spark.

Freddie Shires

Freddie is a freelance sports writer, having recently completed an MA in Sports Journalism at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham. With an especially keen interest in all things American sports-related, he has written extensively about the NFL, MLS and the U.S. national team for various sites.